When I was browsing the gospel chops site I came across a drummer named Thomas Pridgen who's playing is absolutely incredible. He won Guitar Center's drum off when he was nine and became the youngest drummer to be endorsed by Zildjian at twelve. He was accepted to Berklee at age fifteen. This guy is really good, just thought you guys should know about him.(He's not on the drummerworld site).

Bonham to the moon

07-28-2005 04:33 AM

Re: New Drummer: Anyone heard of him?!?

man i hate prodigies. . . . . . .

beatz

07-28-2005 04:35 AM

Re: New Drummer: Anyone heard of him?!?

I know, as soon as I read that he won the Guitar Center drumoff at nine, I had to go and practice so I wouldn't feel like a complete failure!!

stagecustom

07-28-2005 05:05 AM

Re: New Drummer: Anyone heard of him?!?

you know what is funny man, i checked out that website and saw him on there, and i swear man i was just about to post a thread about him, you just post another one on eric more he won guitar center drum off in 2003, but yeah thomas is crazy, a little goofy, but damn good

Tony Williams was a child prodigy. He was playing clubs by the time he was ten. Also Buddy Rich was a child prodigy, do you hate him? I enjoy seeing prodigies personally. It makes things interesting. Some people are just lucky enough to discover what they were meant to do at an early age. I only wish I started younger.

Bonham to the moon

07-29-2005 01:12 AM

Re: New Drummer: Anyone heard of him?!?

i meant it as a joke. . . .chill out. Its discouraging to hear that nine year has won the nationwide drumoff though. But good for him, though i havent heard much of recent child prodigies, just like actors, if you bring em to early they usually spiral downward pretty fast.

Rudy McRudster

07-29-2005 01:50 AM

Re: New Drummer: Anyone heard of him?!?

I watched his video on Gospel Chops and the kid's pretty talented. He really doesn't seem like the average "child prodigy" that you see whose parents exploit them and parade them around. He seems like a nice and genuinely talented guy and if he keeps his attitude, he'll go far.

LDGuy

07-29-2005 02:07 AM

Re: New Drummer: Anyone heard of him?!?

Wow. Pretty neat. He's very good.

I saw some cool Blush-da's there and the patented Steve Holmes Bla-Blush-da there too (if you dont know what i'm talking about check out www.houseofdrumming.com ).

drumzalicious

07-29-2005 07:16 AM

Re: New Drummer: Anyone heard of him?!?

Quote:

Originally Posted by LDGuy

Wow. Pretty neat. He's very good.

I saw some cool Blush-da's there and the patented Steve Holmes Bla-Blush-da there too (if you dont know what i'm talking about check out www.houseofdrumming.com ).

yeah i went off and learned that after i saw him do it.

Freddie Freeloader

10-13-2005 02:36 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

hey guys, i'm sorry to resurrect this somewhat ancient topic, but i just thought you must see what thomas has been upto lately...

After the loss of Jon Theodore, the unethusiastic joining of Blake Flemming, and the brief appearance of Deatoni Parks, The Mars Volta has added their newest member.

Thomas Pridgen, a really talented young Berklee drummer has officially joined for the upcoming dates. With a heavy gospel and R&B influence, he seems to mesh with the band well so far from the few dates he has already played with TMV.

In my personal opinion after hearing his stuff before TMV, I really think he'll work well with the band. Hopefully he will stay for longer than a year...

I met Thomas at NAMM maybe 8 or 10 years ago - he was really young - and he was a great kid and a talented player. His mom was taking him around, and they were both really nice. I knew he'd be destined for great things, not just another child prodigy headed for the "cute then, but where are they now?" file.

Thomas just recently made his official debut with The Mars Volta overseas and the first live bootleg is exhilarating! He's a terror! All drum scholars take note: check this guy's page for a megaupload link: http://myspace.com/auslive You wont be sorry.

meandhimcallitus

03-20-2007 10:11 PM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

Thanks for the link!

caprisun3484

03-20-2007 11:18 PM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

check him out on Christian Scott's album Rewind That

really good playing their and it is a great album

alan_pfeifer

04-21-2007 05:56 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

Thomas is quite the amazing player.

I've got a few videos of him with Volta, they're quite high quality if you want to see them Let me know.

drum99

08-21-2007 09:22 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

I went to high school with Thomas my senior year, which was his sophomore year, and we were in jazz band together that year. Looking back, it was amazing to watch him play every day, talk shop, and I learned a lot from him. It's nice to see his new success, and I hope he blows everyone away on the new TMV album, cuz I know he can! Thomas, what's up with some tickets!

Jack Slade

11-21-2007 02:57 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

I cannot wait until the new album comes out from TMV. I have also only heard one song they performed with Thomas Pridgen. He didn't really stand out much to me, but i've seen other solo videos of him, and they were sweet!

jastjohn

12-27-2007 07:11 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

I remember Pridgen from the gospelchops videos I downloaded a while back, and from Christian Scott. If you told me then he'd be playing with TMV I'd laugh. Now I've heard... it's actually a damn good fit!

pearl_floyd

02-06-2008 11:51 PM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

Pridgen absolutly kills on the new TMV record, he fits in perfectly with whole band.

caprisun3484

02-07-2008 01:49 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

yeah i agree he is so amazing on that record

Cypriss

02-08-2008 01:27 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

Anyone know his cymbal set up i know he plays Zildjian. probably A customs. But from the look of the one's when TMV played on letterman almost looked like prototype's/custom made one's the china he was using sounded amazing.

Das_Ist_Drums

02-10-2008 09:29 PM

Thomas Pridgen

I recently bought the latest Mars Volta album and Thomas Pridgen has some sick drumming in it. I definately think that he should be added to the web sight. Here's the url of the Mars Volta playing there new song, Wax Simulacra, on the Letterman show.

Saw them (TMV) yesterday here in Sweden, and Thomas is really kickass behind the set, best drummer ive seen live probably. Great show btw, Cedric threw out one of Thomas crashes to the adiuence DW stand and all, but I didnt get in the mosh pit of "grabbers" would been nice with a free A custom crash 16/17? thou =).

ccdrummin

03-14-2008 05:01 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

yeah i went to the january 30 show and met him hes hella nice
and ofcourse hes ma favorite drummer...hella sick gospel chops man

Njdrumma

04-12-2008 04:05 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

thomas pridgen will be playing at modern drum fest!!!!!!and he will be HELLA!!!!! AMAZINg

GRUNTERSDAD

04-12-2008 04:31 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

I read an article about him in oen of my drumming mags, and he and his grandmother had to lie about his age, of three, to get him some lessons. I was just learning to run.

Njdrumma

04-12-2008 11:35 PM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRUNTERSDAD
(Post 429094)

I read an article about him in oen of my drumming mags, and he and his grandmother had to lie about his age, of three, to get him some lessons. I was just learning to run.

Do u know who he got lessons from?

Njdrumma

04-14-2008 02:30 PM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

just to let you all know Thomas told me that he smashed his DW Acrylic Kit. But he will be getting a new kit

Vicarious

06-27-2008 05:58 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

I saw him play with The Mars Volta last night and words cannot describe how insane he is! The performance was perhaps the single most amazing thing I've ever seen, and extremely exhilarating. His kit sounded so nice too, those floor toms and bass drum were among the deepest I've ever heard.

He was playing the usual DW Acrylic kit, I don't know if it was the same kit, or a new one.

Simon

07-20-2008 10:44 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

Hi Guys,

since I've watched Thomas' videos on Drummerworld, i'm a fan. You must watch the Drumbattle between Thomas and Tony Royster Jr. on Youtube. I like Thomas' style much more. Check it out.

In the Video "Thomas Pridgen demonstrates a great Gospel Fill" Thomas names a book in the beginning. But I can't undestand the title.
Can someone name me the title of the book?

Thanks,

Simon

cyclepilot2

07-20-2008 06:34 PM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

i believe he's just referring to the following fill as being played out ,so he's citing random penal code and infraction numbers for the "offense"
of people still using it

drum.lad

09-04-2008 07:33 PM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

i love this guy hes incredible and such a deserving guy aswell not some cocky dude.also that tv performance of wax simulacra was amazing

m1ck

09-05-2008 06:35 AM

Re: Thomas Pridgen

I've been checking this guy out since I read the interview in the latest Modern Drummer magazine. He is phenomenal and makes it all look SO easy. He looks like a kid in a candy store at the drums - he's having so much fun.